After some silence, Pei Ming acknowledged, “Yes, My Lord.”
Xie Lian had only just breathed in relief when Pei Ming continued, “But, Nan Yang and Xuan Zhen have proven that the wounds on that empty shell were indeed inflicted by the scimitar Eming.”
“I understand,” Jun Wu replied. “That is a whole other matter.”
“Pray My Lord will look into it,” Pei Ming said.
“I will investigate, naturally. There is no need for concern.” After a pause, Jun Wu continued. “You are all dismissed for today. Xianle, you stay.”
It looked like Xie Lian would be personally interrogated. The heavenly officials had nothing left to say and bowed.
“Yes, My Lord.”
Having been dismissed, the other heavenly officials exited in their groups of two or three. When Feng Xin passed by, he glanced at Xie Lian, looking like he had something to say, but he stopped himself. Xie Lian smiled at him, and he looked startled before hurriedly leaving after all. Mu Qing, on the other hand, walked past without sparing a look, as if Xie Lian didn’t exist. And yet, he deliberately took a path to pass in front of him.
As for that white-clad cultivator, he walked over with his whisk in hand and a huge smile, ready to speak. But Pei Ming, who had just suffered a setback, walked over too, with one hand resting on his hilt and the other rubbing his nose.
He said helplessly, “Qingxuan, for your older brother’s sake, can you stop stirring up trouble?”
The smile disappeared from the face of the white-clad cultivator. “General Pei, there’s no need to use my brother against me. I’m not afraid of him.”
“You—” Pei Ming seemed to be gritting his teeth in impotent rage, unable to do anything about this. Finally, he pointed at the other cultivator. “You…you’ve really done in Little Pei this time. Two hundred years of exile.”
The white-clad cultivator swung his whisk wildly. “That’s Little Pei’s own doing. This has nothing to do with me!”
Looking like he didn’t want to continue this quarrel with Pei Ming, the white-clad cultivator flounced off. Xie Lian thought Pei Ming might stick around to taunt him further, but he didn’t, and simply exited the hall directly. In the large and spacious Palace of Divine Might, the only one left besides Jun Wu on his throne and Xie Lian standing below him was, surprisingly, the Crown Prince of Yong’an, Lang Qianqiu. Xie Lian thought that strange. Why did he stay? When Xie Lian approached, he saw that the man had his eyes closed and that he was somehow fast asleep on his feet.
Xie Lian didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, and feeling quite awed, he gently tapped the young man’s shoulder. “Your Highness. Your Highness?”
Lang Qianqiu jolted awake. “What happened?!”
“Nothing’s happened. The meeting is over,” Xie Lian explained.
Having just woken up, Lang Qianqiu was still a little dazed, and he asked in confusion, “Over? Just like that? What did we all discuss? I didn’t hear anything.”
“If you didn’t hear anything, then don’t worry about it,” Xie Lian said. “It wasn’t anything important anyway. Come now, time to go back.”
“Oh!” Lang Qianqiu went to leave, but when he reached the doors, he looked behind him. Still confused, he nevertheless flashed Xie Lian a big smile. “Thanks for waking me!”
Xie Lian waved at him with a cheerful grin. With everyone now finally cleared out, Xie Lian slowly turned around. Jun Wu descended from the throne. Hands clasped behind his back, he came before Xie Lian.
“Crimson Rain Sought Flower. The scimitar Eming.”
Xie Lian was like a cat picked up by the scruff of his neck, and he involuntarily straightened.
“So. What is going on?” Jun Wu questioned.
Xie Lian looked at him, then suddenly kneeled.
Before Xie Lian’s knees touched the floor, Jun Wu reached out and held his elbow, preventing him from kneeling. He sighed.
“Xianle.”
Xie Lian straightened once more, his head bowed. “I’m sorry.”
Jun Wu watched him. “Are you acknowledging your wrongs?”
“I am,” Xie Lian replied.
“Then, why not tell me what wrong you are acknowledging?” Jun Wu said.
Xie Lian was silent and Jun Wu shook his head.
“I did not think you would know.”
The Heavenly Emperor inclined his head, gesturing for Xie Lian to follow, and the two walked slowly toward the chambers behind the hall.
As they walked, Jun Wu, with his hands clasped in front, commented, “Xianle is all grown up now.”